Truth and Dishonesty
by AFireInside888
Summary: Kasei and Hailey are twins, the look alike, except for the fact that hailey has faltered into the dark side. Hailey makes prediction through anger when her father moves them to a new town, Country and school. slowly her prediction starts to come true. Kas
1. A New Horizon

Hello all you readers in fan fiction land! My name is MorganS and I am here with my friend to deliver you a wonderful story, which I guarantee you will not be able to turn off! No, wait! Don't turn off the computer, don't do anything...just read!

Together, I, MorganS and ashlyns...no we are not related, make up the author named 6thYearGryffindor. We both have very different outlooks in our writing and have decided to combine them to come up with what you see here. We are fellow authors, fellow classmates and fellow Harry Potter (freaken) fans! Hope you enjoy.

Summery: Two sisters move half way across the world b/c their father has been given a special assignment in Britain, bringing the girls to Hogwarts School. Here they will find love, hope and a sisterly bond they had long lost. PG for danger, suspense and sex! Kidding about the sex! (Morgans says 'why not?') (Ashlyns reply's 'B/c, we have to keep this as anti-sex as possible. I'll explain later') (Audience boos)

Credits: Ashlyns is Hailey James. Morgans is Kasei James. Daniel Radcliff is Harry Potter (collective cheer) Rupert Grint is Ron Weasley. Emma Watson is Hermionie...ect.

P.s. before we get into the story, we wrote the first two chapters together and then we plan on splitting off and writing it chapter by chapter. Morgans will write chapter three, ashlyns will write chapter four and so on and so forth! Be ready for wackiness, wildness and Quidditch ppl! Oh, and stupidity! Thank you!

Morgans: "add a bit of toung as well."

Ashlyns: "You are so horney!"

Morgans: true. Horney? I just like my fireball."

Ashlyns: "Fireball introduced by Kasei in chapter two ppl, hold in. still inside joke. Now, Morgans shut up."

Morgans: "Okay. On to the story!"

Ashlyns: "But first!"

Disclaimer: We own Hailey James, Braiden James, Kasei James and any other original characters and story plot. We don't own Hogwarts, any characters we didn't make up, or the magical world which the amazing J.K. Rowling created. Thank you! NOW ONTO THE STORY! YAY!

Chapter one: A new horizon

Kasei sighed and leaned back in the backseat of the car, glaring at her twin sister who had called shotgun two steps from the car. Now she sat watching the houses flash past and tried to ignore her little brother who was humming placidly to himself much to her annoyance.

"Will you shut up, Braiden?" Kasei asked, trying to remain calm. She didn't want to be like her sister, explosive at every small thing. Her dad watched her in the rearview mirror for a moment and then moved his gaze to his son.

"She's right. You really need to be a little more silent." Braiden smiled mischievously at Kasei and she knew he was going to say something mean. Sure enough...

"How can I be silent when she's so ugly?" Suddenly Hailey turned around in her seat, her eyes blazing.

"Yeah, well, we look like you, you retarded little fruit so shut the hell up." Kasei tried to hide her smile and turned her attention to the London scenery as a fine trickle of rain rolled down the glass.

"Hailey! That's enough, Braiden, sit back in you're seat and zip it." Their father hissed, for Braiden had inched forward in his seat and now had his fist clenched in the air, ready to hit Hailey.

Kasei tried hard to look at her misted reflection in the window. She and Hailey were so different from each other yet so much alike in body. They both had naturally beautiful brown hair but Hailey's was now black and Kasei had hers in electric blue streaks on either side of her face. They had the same face and figure, though each disguised them in different clothes.

Kasei liked to wear loosely fitting comfortable cloths and loved sports. She was on some Muggle sports teams like Basketball, baseball and volleyball in elementary. She'd had to quit when she went off to Wizard school and had joined the Quidditch team.

Hailey had been much like Kasei in many aspects until the death of their mother a year before. She'd blamed herself and slowly grew darker. Now she pretty much stayed shut up in her room with books and paper, reading and writing. Now she turned around in her seat, her book shaking on her lap with the weight transfer.

"You'll be in Hufflepuff." She said. Braiden glared at her. All three had received their acceptance letters the week before and in two weeks they'd be on their way to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hailey had been studying a book they picked called _Hogwarts: A history. _

"Hufflepuff's the worst house." Braiden whined, looking at his dad. "You'll be in Slytherin."

"Well, as long as they have a good Quidditch team." Kasei said brightly, hoping desperately not to be in Slytherin.

"When this book was made," Hailey said, flipping over the book to check the date. "Slytherin had the best Quidditch team. That was a few years ago." Hailey turned around and began reading again and a sudden thought occurred to Kasei.

"Do brothers and sisters go in the same house?" She asked.

Braiden looked over at the back of Hailey's head, his eyes wide. Then he smiled. "I hope not." He said maliciously. "Two ugly people in the same house as me? That's evil."

Kasei and Hailey turned to him at the same time. "Yeah, you'll make up for it fine on your own. You're ugly enough." Then they both looked at each other and smiled. Braiden sat back in his seat and sulked, his arms crossed over his chest. Kasei thought maybe her sister was showing the long hidden side of her until the smile faded and the sad look replaced her once more.

"Well, now that you three have quit." Her father began, but Kasei interrupted.

"We haven't quit yet." She said, looking at Braiden once more. "You're a retard."

"And an idiot." Hailey joined in. Their father glared at them and then pointed ahead. They were moving down a quiet residential street and their new house, complete with moving van out front, was parked there.

"Look, it's huge." He said.

"Do we have to share the same room?" Hailey asked, closing her book and watching the large house coming closer. "I hate all the Quidditch posters and soccer teams and, not to mention those posters of David Becky or what ever."

"Beckham!" Kasei snapped, pausing. "Or Becks, if you mind." Even though Hailey's back was to her, she knew she'd just rolled her eyes and was mimicking her. She kicked at the back of the seat as hard as she could, making Hailey turn and give her the most evil glare.

They pulled into the driveway and Braiden was the first out. His father yelled at his retreating back, saying something about 'not getting out before the car completely stops' but none of them were listening.

"I get first dibs of rooms!" Braiden yelled, running up the stairs. Kasei hated that little creep and sprang out after him.

"Not a chance you loser! I'm older!" And she took off, leaving Hailey who still sat in the car, staring at the big house through the front window, playing with her long black hair. Her father watched her for a moment.

"What?" He asked. Hailey shook her head.

"Did we have to move?" She asked. He sighed.

"I'm an Auror, I move where the ministries tell me, you know that. And we have to move on, it's what you're mom would have wanted." Hailey snorted and got out.

"Unfortunately, we don't know that. Do we?" She paused, "She would have wanted us to be happy. Not move across the world and go to school with people we don't know. Why couldn't we stay in the United States? You could have gotten a job there."

"Maybe we'll be happy here." Her father pointed out. "Maybe we were sent here for a reason." Hailey snorted again.

"Oh yeah. Kasei's supposed to change evil boy's heart around with her quick wits and charming personality. Braiden's supposed to be the new hell raiser and what about me? Find someone like me and together we'll see the light?" She looked at her dad who was still watching her silently. "Right? This is all supposed to...what? Work out in the end? Destiny? Fate? You really believe that? Mom was supposed to die for a reason?"

"There's a reason for everything." Her dad replied. Hailey slammed the car door and left, walking up the stairs and into the cool shade of the house. It smelt like her grandmother's house, cinnamon and banana and...old. Wrinkling her nose, she made her way up the stairs and found Braiden in the first room on the left.

Braiden was jumping and when he saw Hailey he smiled, kicking his basketball at her. She caught it deftly. "Look at this room." He practically cried with joy. "It has a bathroom! Really!"

"That's the master bedroom, twit. It's dad's." Braiden shook his head.

"I called first dibs, it's mine stupid." Hailey raised and eyebrow and threw his ball at him. He wasn't able to catch it. It hit him in the right shoulder and bounced into the bathroom. "I hate you." He said, going off to retrieve it. Hailey shrugged and moved on.

"What ever." She said. Kasei was in the next one; she could see her through the small crack in the door. She sat in the middle of the floor, huddled up with her legs to her chest. Hailey pushed her way in and looked around. The room seemed big enough with a walk in closet and enough room for all Kasei's stupid posters. "Not bright enough?" She asked sarcastically. Kasei looked up, surprised.

"Oh." She said, "It's you. Why do you have to be so down on yourself all the time?" Hailey crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe.

"What are you talking about." Hailey asked, her voice showing her bitterness. Kasei pointed to the window and Hailey could suddenly hear the sounds of her dad and the movers outside. "You heard what I said?"

"Every word." Kasei answered, standing up and moving across the room to shut the window. "What if maybe that's what we will do? Maybe that is our destiny?" Kasei turned around. "I saw the same thing you did that night. Why do you have to keep brining up the accident?"

"Because it was my Quidditch game! Not yours. If I hadn't played she'd still be alive." Kasei sighed.

"I went too; I wanted to see you play." Kasei said, "So do you know it wasn't my fault? I talked mom into taking us instead of dad."

"Still." Hailey muttered, turning around and moving to the door. Before she could get there, however, Kasei grabbed her and hugged her.

"Its not you're fault. It was fate." Hailey rolled her eyes and shrugged her off.

"There is no such thing."

That night they sat around the table, all quiet except for Braiden's clanging cutlery and the sounds of his open mouth, chewing. Across the table Hailey and Kasei glared at each other, both wondering how the other could be so impossible and knowing the other was thinking the same thing.

"Well, tomorrow I'll take you to Diagon Alley to get you're stuff." Their father said. "You know, books and robes..."

"What color are our robes?" Braiden asked through a mouthful of Chinese. They still hadn't got the old stove to work. The timer would ring but it wouldn't cook anything.

"You should think of getting a new stove first." Kasei said softly. Hailey actually began to giggle. Everyone looked up at her, surprised and she closed her mouth quickly.

"Yes, well..." Her father gave the stove and evil look and sighed. "I hate Muggle appliances. You're mother, you know..." He pulled out his wand and pointed it at the stove, and waved it, uttering a spell under his breath. The stove glowed blue for a moment and the timer began to buzz louder and more excitedly. "Silencio!" The sound abruptly stopped.

"You didn't answer my question." Braiden reminded him. "What color?"

"Black." Hailey answered, playing with her food, remembering Hogwarts: A History. Kasei sighed.

"Black is so depressing." She said. Hailey looked up through her curtain of black hair.

"Well," She said, eyeing her sister's hair. "Blue's to perky for my taste." They both glared at each other. Their father, sensing danger, cleared his throat and mentioned half-heartedly that they go to bed. Braiden quickly squashed the idea.

"Our beds are still on the truck." He said. Their father cursed and together they got up to get the beds. At the door, Braiden turned and made a girlish pose. "Oh no." He said in a high pitched voice. "Black makes me look so fat."

Hailey through a bean at him and he left. Kasei sat looking down at her plate and picking at it like she'd lost her heart or something. "What?" Hailey asked. Even to her own ears it sounded snappish.

Kasei didn't look at her but said in a low tone, "I planned to change it when we got back to school anyway." She said, lifting her fork and taking in a mouthful of cut up Kung Pow chicken.

"What?" Hailey asked.

"My hair." Kasei said, finally looking up. "Can't use magic until we go back to school." Hailey sighed and diverted her attention to the kitchen around them, not wanting to look at her sister. Kasei put down her fork and pushed back her chair to go help her brother and dad move in the beds.

Kasei lay in bed that night, thinking about the conversation that she'd heard through the window between her dad and Hailey. She knew Hailey was depressed but she hadn't known to what extent. She knew Hailey blamed herself for their mom's death but it wasn't her fault.

Rolling over she tried to see her mom, all the memories of her pushing against Kasei's brain. She remembered her first Quidditch game and seeing her mom in the stands, cheering next to her dad and Hailey. She focused into her mother.

She remembered the first day Hailey and her had spent apart from each other. They had been five and Hailey had been put into the hospital because she had got a really bad flu. Kasei could still remember hiding in her mother's arms that night, taking in her scent and wondering how the Boogieman would stay away that night. Hailey had always kept him away.

The day Hailey and her went to the Los Angeles Magic School. They were at the barrier that led to the grounds, saying good bye to their parents and Braiden who was to young to come. He was seven. She'd told her mom it would be okay as she sobbed into her father's shoulder. As they'd walked up the path to the school, Hailey had put her arm around her and said she'd always be there for her.

The day her mom died, they'd been going to Hailey's Quidditch game. An old man had a stroke at the wheel and veered into their lane, blindsiding them and sending the car rolling where three more cars hit it. The two girls survived but their mom died at the hospital. Kasei could still hear her mom's screaming, mingled with Hailey's and her own. If she concentrated she could still hear the shriek of impacting metal. It seemed to take the car forever between flips. She could remember the deafening silence in the car. And, when the car came to a blood curdling halt...all was silent. Kasei could remember being upside down, her hair hanging limp above her and the seat belt cutting into her chest and lap.

Hailey. Good old Hailey finally moved in the front and Kasei was sure everything was all right. Tears had suddenly started falling down Hailey's face, mingling with her brown hair as she reached across and tried to wake her mother. Kasei felt tears sting in the corners of her eyes as she remembered the scene.

She'd ripped off her seat belt and fell onto the roof. Slowly she'd tried to climb over the seat but Hailey had stopped her. Rolling over, Kasei watched the blank wall above the many boxes, crying. The rescuers had come too late. Her mother hadn't woken.

She could remember her dad coming to their room in the hospital and telling them what had happen to their mom. That was the last time they'd seen her.

Hailey stood at the window of her room, looking down at the car. She'd been thinking her mom for a while and the accident but now her thoughts moved to her dad and the conversation they'd had apon arriving.

She wished she had her family's faith that everything happened for a reason and everything would work out. She suddenly felt guilty and wished she hadn't blown up on her sister. If she did have their faith, would she actually believe what she had said down at the car? That she came here to help someone? To make a difference in herself and the other person?

Maybe, She thought, I'll meet a handsome prince on a white hippogriff who'll sweep me off my feet. She smiled to herself, yeah right. Then at the thought of this, she remembered that Kasei had to leave behind a boy in L.A. All love stories came to a dreadful end. Someone left or died and life just sucked again.

She sat down on the floor beside a pile of books and rifled through them, pulling out an old yearbook. On the inside was something her sister had written to her just before their mom died. She read it with a slight smile. "I wish I had you're looks...even though we're twins. I wish I had you're brains...even though I'm smarter. I wish I had you're boyfriend...but I'll take him soon. I wish I had you're faith...because my heart isn't as whole as yours. That bastard...(don't show mom) took it. I wish I had a spell, to turn his ass green. I love you, see you next year! Or tonight. LOL, love you're mirror image, Kasei."

Hailey thought back to Corey. Kasei had had her heart broken by the gorgeous red head punk rocker kid. Hailey had always thought he was a bit of an idiot, she could do better. Hailey threw the yearbook over her head, thinking about the message. Kasei had wanted Hailey's faith...because she wanted to believe she could get over Corey and do better and that they weren't meant to be together.

Under the yearbook was one of Kasei's stupid Teen Witches magazines. Hailey, who couldn't sleep, decided to look through it for kicks. She leaned back against her bed and opened it, flipping through the pages until she came to the middle. There were moving pictures of twenty people. At the top, a banner headline read, 'Top 20 male heart throbs of this year.'

Looking down, she saw a picture of Gilderoy Lockhart and cringed. Kasei had, thank god, never had a thing for him.

"Paul Wilardson, drummer for the Warlock Posse." She read. "Bust thirty-three drums in one concert, all time record. It's said he has live toads inside and that's what makes the unique sounds. That's not why we like him though, his sexy smile and deep eyes remind us of why he can rock our world any day." Hailey looked at the picture, scoffing. He really was not that rockin'.

Scanning down she found a picture of a guy she found attractive. Pierre Thistle, now he was sexy! He actually looked semi-normal compared to some of the others around here. The only thing different about him was the antlers growing out of the side of his head. "Like a buck." Hailey muttered.

Her eyes caught on the wizard above him. He had dark hair and his eyes shifted from one side of the picture to the other. There was something so dark and mysterious about him, even though she'd never met him she could see a flash of something behind his eyes. "Harry Potter." She read quietly, pausing to again look at his face. "The boy who lived."

hey ppl. hope you liked it.

ashlyns: do you think they liked it?

MorganS: Of Course they liked it, though... they might not have... there was no kissing...

ashlyns: shutup already!!!

MorganS: How rude! i'm being honest and you reprimand me for it, sheesh...

ashlyns: Yeah, ok, whatever, see yas all the Reviewers, i mean possible Reviewers.

hope you liked our first chapter good enough to come back and read the secon, it gets better, we promise.

MorganS. & ashlyns


	2. Double, Double Trouble

Here we are agin! it's been quite some time, but that is because my counterpart (ashlyns) has a lot on her plate and a very forgetful mind... so it took us a while, hopefully it won't take us long on the next one, she still has all of the files... and i hope that it won't, for all of you lovely reviewers.

we both hope you like this one and hope you will review with full force, all of your little anecdotes to make us laugh, and anything you wish to say or note about the story, good or bad we'll except it all, though i hope most of them (if not all) are good ones. thank you very much.

ashlyns: don't forget-

MorganS: Shut Up! i'm getting to it... now for the disclaimer!... jeese you're such a prat, time woman, time is of the essence...

Disclaimer: Refer to chappy one.

Chapter Two: Double Double Trouble

Ministry representatives came to their house at around ten in the morning to take their father and them to Diagon Alley. The whole trip, Braiden complained and finally, when they arrived at a grungy pub called the Leaky Cauldron, Braiden had been hit on the back of the head so many times there was a lump forming. Rubbing his head, he looked up at the pub, which was surrounded by large buildings. The Muggles walking by didn't even notice it.

"This is it?" He asked incredulously, walking behind a bald ministry member to the door. "This sucks…what is this place?"

"The Leaky Cauldron." Hailey said, pointing at the creaking sign that blew in the slight breeze. Braiden smiled at her sarcastically and lead the way in. The pub was dungy and an old toothless wizard stood behind the bar, washing glasses with a semi-clean rag. He smiled a toothless grin at the bald ministry member.

"Ah, Kingsley, welcome." The man said, coming around the counter and shaking Kingsley's hand. Hailey and Kasei exchanged glances, raising their eyebrows at the same second.

"Tom." Kingsley said, turning the attention to the people standing behind him. "This is Mr. James, his son Braiden and his twins Hailey and Kasei."

"What year are you in?" Tom asked, shaking their hands and reaching Kasei's last.

"Um," Their father stepped forward. "Braiden is in his second year and the girls are in their sixth." Kingsley and Tom's eyes moved upward in one motion to stare at the ceiling. Hailey guessed there were rooms up there but she wasn't sure.

"His year." Tom muttered and Kingsley nodded. Braiden's brow furrowed.

"Whose year?" He asked. Tom and Kingsley shook their heads and smiled.

"No one, Braiden is it? No one, we're just thinking of another boy in sixth year." Tom said, "It was nice to meet you Mr. James, and you're wonderful children."

He left them standing there and walked back around the bar to take an order from a blond witch with curly hair and winged, jeweled glasses. She wore banana yellow robes and had pink fingernails. She was sucking on the end of an acid green quill. Hailey nudged Kasei in the ribs and pointed to her.

"Nice combination, eh?" She asked. Kasei smiled slightly.

"Now, Tom. I hear you had recent contact with him. Don't deny it. What was his personality like now, after the unfortunate demise of his godfather and the closest thing he ever had to a father? What would you say the changes to his appearance and personality are for? A cry of attention or perhaps something else?" The woman was obviously a reporter.

"Maybe there's a famous actor or singer in town." Kasei whispered, watching the woman fire questions at old Tom, grinning.

"Jeez, get a life." Hailey muttered, looking at her sister. "Not every reporter wants to interview famous people. You have an obsession." They followed the ministry member and their father out through the back of the shop to a stone fence two stories high at least. There was a stone missing in the center, Kasei realized. She watched Kingsley reach up and tap the bricks. Suddenly, with a rumbling that made Hailey and her jump back in alarm and Braiden smile excitedly, the wall split into an arch and beyond they saw a winding cobbled street lined with wizard shops.

"Wow." Kasei whispered, wide-eyed. They began walking through the arch and, as it closed, Hailey looked back to watch it. Her eyes, though, were caught by a movement in the window of the pub on the second floor. She thought she saw a boy watching her from behind the curtain before the arch closed back into a solid wall. Kasei nudged her. "Are you coming?" Hailey nodded and followed.

"You two." Her father said, turning. He handed them a bag of coins. "Take these and get you're supplies. Stay to the list." He eyed Braiden. "Then meet me at Flourish and Blotts in two hours. I have to talk to Kingsley and a few other Aurors about a special guard duty."

Braiden took a few steps away, preoccupied with something up the street. Their father leaned into the twins and whispered, "There may be enough for sweets later, once you're finished." With a wink he took off. Kasei smiled at her sister then looked over her shoulder.

"Where's Braiden?" She asked. Hailey spun around and looked left and right. Braiden was gone.

"He's gone." Hailey said. Kasei rolled her eyes. Her sister had a flare for stating the obvious.

"Okay, you go left, I'll go right." Kasei said. Hailey nodded and took off. Kasei watched her disappear into a shop called Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. When her black hair had whipped around the corner, Kasei took off in the opposite direction.

She was so frantic, searching for her brother that she wasn't watching where she was going and ran into someone coming out of a shop with a cauldron. They both were knocked to the ground and the back of Kasei's head collided painfully with a stack of pewter cauldrons. The stack wobbled precariously and finally tipped, the ringing of the metal on the cobblestones making her head only ache more. As stars began to fly around her head she heard a voice.

"I'm s-so s-sorry." She said, clutching her head and hardly hearing herself over the ringing in her ears.

"Watch where you're going next…" The male voice suddenly stopped and a hand grabbed her beneath the elbow, lifting her from the ground. A pale blond boy, slightly taller then her, stood before her, wavering in and out as a reflection does in a rippling pond.

"I'm so sorry." She repeated. She spotted his cauldron and made to grab it before he stopped her. He had a sly grin spreading across his face and suddenly she realized he wasn't mad at her. She felt kind of irked that he was laughing at her when her head was pounding. He'd knocked into her…right?

"It's alright, I'll get it." He drawled. Kasei watched him as he bent down and scooped up the cauldron. Standing to his full height again, he suddenly frowned. "You're bleeding." Kasei pulled her hand away from the back of her head and found a small trickle of blood between her fingers.

"Oh." She said, surprised. She shook her head trying to clear her fogged mind but it only made it worse. "I should go find my sister and my brother," She began wobbling away in the wrong direction before the boy stopped her and sat her on an upturned cauldron.

"Sit for a minute." He drawled. There was something weird in his voice. She knew he probably wasn't usually this nice to strangers. She looked up into his eyes and was startled to see that his smile didn't travel to his eyes; they stayed devoid of any emotion or human kindness. "Where are you from?"

"States." Kasei muttered, looking up and down the street.

"Oh," The boy said simply. "Name?"

"Kasei." Kasei replied simply as he shifted his shoulders and raised his eyebrows waiting for the rest. She didn't give it.

"House?" He asked. Kasei shrugged.

"I was in Selkirk at my old school." There was a weird show playing behind those eyes. He was terribly intelligent, she could see it. His cogs were working. Suddenly, something seemed to click.

"Is you're dad an Auror with the Ministry?" He asked. Kasei, startled by the question, nodded with out even thinking about what she was agreeing to. She realized too late that maybe she shouldn't have answered. The boy looked up at the cauldron shop behind her and grinned, "Gotta go." He said, standing up.

"Wait." Kasei shouted, throwing out an arm and grabbing his sleeve. "Name?"

"Draco Malfoy." The boy answered proudly. He walked away, back into the shop and was soon enveloped by the darkness inside. Standing shakily, Kasei stood and walked back down the street in the direction she had come, searching for the shop where she'd last seen her sister.

She found it quickly, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. It was slightly smaller then most of the shops lining the long cobbled street. She entered cautiously; not sure of what she would find and stared around, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness within.

It seemed at first to be deserted. The counter in the corner with the old fashioned till was alone; no store clerk occupied it. The place was filled with tower shelves cramped haphazardly around the room as though the owners had been in a hurry to set up shop. Curiously, Kasei examined the items on the shelves, still keeping an eye out for her sister.

A few multicolored boxes on the nearest shelf caught her eye and she took one down, examining it. The front read 'Skiving Snack boxes'. Reading the back, she frowned at the instructions when she came to the line, 'effects may be hazardous to you're health'.

"Charming." Kasei breathed, setting the snack box back down and continuing down the line. There were headless hats, fake wands, fireworks, mirrors that showed what the person wanted to see, trick parchment, invisible ink, and blowing gum that, when chewed, allowed you to change your voice into anyone else's.

As she was lifting down a horn that blew a tongue out of the end and screamed loudly when blown, a red haired boy stepped around the corner and gave a slight cry of surprise making Kasei drop the horn, which began shrieking insults and curses at her for dropping it.

"Could have broken me you stupid blighter! Be more careful next time stupid…" The boy quickly rushed forward and preformed a silencing charm on the horn. Picking it up, he placed it back on the shelf and then turned to Kasei.

"I told you to wait back there while I was getting it." He said, laughing. "You're really quite fast…" He eyed her hair. "Metamorphmagi?"

"I'm not." Kasei said, taken aback. The boy eyed her suspiciously. "I'm looking for my brother, he came in here."

"I know." The boy said, still eyeing her. "You already told me that." Now it was Kasei's turn to look suspicious. "Is my brother putting you up to this? What are you playing at?"

"Playing at what?" Kasei asked, placing her hands on her hips. She didn't like being accused of things she didn't do, it pissed her off. Her sister always did it. "Look, if you aren't going to tell me anything, I may as well leave." She said, turning to go. Suddenly, the boy was in front of her, arms across his chest. Looking back, Kasei saw he was still standing behind her with the same stance and expression.

"Wow." She said, looking from on to the other. They were identical. "There's two of you."

Hailey and Braiden appeared behind one of the twin's backs, looking curiously over his shoulder at the scene before them. Hailey raised her eyebrows.

"Took you long enough." She said.

The twin's smirked; looking from one to the other in an ironic reminder of what Kasei had done to them moments before. At the same time, they both said, "Wow, there's two of you to." Kasei smirked and then looked over at her sister.

"Who are these clowns?" She asked. The boys laughed lightly and began ushering them all to a back room. There was a small bit of storage area back here but most of it was made up with beds, a kitchen, a living room and a bathroom. They sat them on the couch and stood in front of them, smiling.

"I'm George." One said, pointing to his brother.

"And I'm Fred." The other said, pointing to his brother.

Kasei looked over at her sister, eyebrows raised. "It's legit." Hailey said simply, shrugging. "Only, Fred is on the right, and George is on the left." The twins looked at her, shocked.

"How did you guess?" They asked in unison. Hailey smirked.

"You're sweaters." Kasei began to laugh hard; the twins each had a sweater on with a letter F or G. Only, Fred was wearing George's and vice versa. George shrugged.

"Damn, should'a changed back I guess." He said. Fred agreed and they began to strip their sweaters off. Braiden, who was getting impatient, began bouncing up and down in his seat and finally grabbed Kasei's shoulder.

"Can we go?" He asked. "I'm so board! I want to eat." Kasei poked his stomach.

"You're fat already." She snarled, wanting to hang out with the twins longer. "Shut up." Fred and George laughed and all Hailey did was smirk for a bout a second before becoming stoic again.

"All right, all right." Fred said, raising his hand in the air.

"We have a business to run." Said George.

"But, before you go." Fred said, going to the cupboard in the corner.

"We need you to try our newest product." George took it from Fred and passed a small bottle of liquid to Braiden. Hailey lunged forward and grabbed it from her brother.

"You don't know what that is, don't touch it. It could poison you!" Kasei snorted.

"That wouldn't be a bad thing, would it?" Hailey glared at her while the twin's chuckled.

"Oh, go on." Fred said, looking at Hailey. "I promise it won't hurt you. Scout's honor." Hailey watched him uneasily, Kasei behind her, coaxing her into it with snide comments about her bravery. Finally, Hailey gave in and unscrewed the cap, throwing over her shoulder one last uneasy comment to her sister, "They run a joke shop you know."

Kasei smirked and grabbed it away, lifting up to eye for a moment. "Fine' I'll do it." She said. Looking over at the red haired twins, she added, "What do I do?"

"Pour some of it over you're head." Fred said. He looked eager. Kasei took a deep breath had poured some over her head.

It felt like air, seeping through her skull and past her brain. She could feel it trickle down her throat and move through all parts of her chest, finally reaching her heart. She looked up and the first person she saw was her sister, watching her weirdly.

Hailey's eyes were growing wide moving up her body slowly. Kasei looked down at herself and all the air seemed to have escaped her. Where her legs should have been solid and whole there was now see through mist, like a ghost.

Hailey, who'd always had a fear of the walking dead, backed up into the cupboard behind her and knocked off a few pictures, which hit the ground and broke sending shards of glass everywhere. Kasei didn't notice her sister; she was holding her hands up in front of her face, watching as they to began to take on the spectral form.

"Whoa…" Kasei said as the color in her face began to dissolve, first to pasty white and then a cloudy mass. "This is the funniest feeling I have ever had…in my whole life." She began to laugh, "This is so cool!"

George and Fred looked at each other, nodded and Hailey felt her temper rise. She rushed forward, grabbed George's shirt and pulled him closer to her. "What the hell have you done to my sister!"? She screamed. Behind her, Braiden walked forward and stuck his hand through Kasei's stomach. He retracted quickly; rubbing his skin as goose bumps began to rise on them.

"Cool." He said, grinning. "It's like you killed her." Fred grinned profusely but it quickly faded as Hailey began to scream again.

"Put her right!" She yelled, pointing at her sister and shaking George. "Fix it!" Kasei floated forward to comfort her sister but Hailey sprang back. "No! Don't come near me, just fix it! Your not Kasei…. you're…you're…a…a…thing!" Kasei stopped and looked at Fred.

"Fun's over." She said in a distant voice. "Better fix it."

George looked at her, slightly sad. "We can't." He said. "We haven't made the antidote yet."

Fred nodded sanctimoniously, also with a look of pity. Kasei sank; weak kneed onto the couch but fell right through it. Hailey, who also looked faint and slightly ghostly, started to shake and Braiden had tears in his eyes. Finally, Fred smiled.

"Just kidding." He said, pulling a bottle of red liquid from his pants pocket and holding it up to show them. Braiden jumped at him, grabbing the bottle and looking murderous. "Oh, come on." Fred said as Braiden rushed forward and dropped some on his sister.

"It was only a spot of fun." George agreed. Hailey bristled.

"Fun!" She screamed. "I almost had a heart attack!"

"At you're age?" Fred asked, eyebrows raised.

"That's not good mate, better get that checked out." George agreed. Hailey didn't know weather to laugh or hit him but resolved instead to picking up the pictures she'd made fall. Behind her, Kasei went to the mirror and watched herself reappear. When she was whole again she picked up the other bottle and looked at it.

"What is this stuff?" She asked, turning it upside down.

"Well," George started.

"No name yet." Fred finished. Kasei sighed and put it back down on the table. "We're thinking of calling it the ghost abilitator for all ages."

"But, that's not the running title." George added, looking at his brother. Then he spotted Hailey. "You don't have to worry about the glass. We'll fix it." Hailey was holding a few family photographs. She could see the twins, who looked slightly younger, standing with a whole bunch of other black and white people in front of a pyramid.

Hailey looked up and saw her sister in the mirror, full color, standing alive again. She was never happier to see those blue streaks. "Come." She said, "Take a look at this family. There's gotta be nine at least." Kasei bent down and lifted another one.

"Hey." She said, "I know him." She showed a picture to Fred.

"Who doesn't?" He asked, smirking at her. "He's in every teen magazine from here to Albania. Course you know him."

"How do you know him?" Kasei asked, handing the picture to Hailey. Hailey started. It was the same boy she'd seen in the magazine the night before, Harry Potter. He was standing next to a boy that was at least a head taller then him and had to be Fred and George's brother.

"He's a friend of our brother, Ron's." George said. "Poor little Harry, can't get a break even where ever you're from, hey?"

"The United States." Braiden piped up. He was at a small worktable in the corner with a bunch of biology looking equipment on it, prodding this and that.

"Don't touch that!" Hailey snapped, putting the pictures on the cupboard again. "Could be explosive." George looked hurt.

"Now, why do you always have to say that things are explosive."

"Or poisonous." Fred added. Hailey walked past them, grabbed Braiden's hand and pulled him out of the storage room.

"Because, you're strangers and this is a joke shop." She said, leading her brother to the door.

Fred apparated and was able to get to the door before she could.

"Yes." He said. "But, this is not a dangerous joke shop. We only sell top quality, family friendly items here. Look how big our family is. I wouldn't sell anything here that I wouldn't sell to my own family."

"Then, I would suggest they didn't buy anything." Came a voice from a near by stairwell. The boy from the picture who had been standing beside Harry Potter was now descending the rickety case two at a time. He could probably have gone three at a time because he had the longest legs she'd seen.

"Ron." George snapped. "We're working, go away."

"I'm going out." Ron snapped back, "I'm going to the Leaky Cauldron. Why do you care?"

"Because, mum told us to watch you." Fred said, "You're lucky we don't put you in a small play pen with only a ball. You get into to much trouble."

"Oh," Ron said sarcastically as he reached the bottom of the stairs. "Like I don't get in enough trouble with the two of you."

"Can't you see we have three beautiful customers." Hailey smiled slightly. She could get along with anyone who bugged her brother to. Ron eyed the twin girls, his ears turning red.

"I see that." He said silently. "Well, move. Two pretty girls don't want to be in the company of you two I'm sure."

"Oh, and they want to be in yours?" Fred asked. Ron shook his head.

"No, I didn't say that. They probably have somewhere to go and you are blocking not only their way out but also mine. Now move." Braiden was now bouncing on the balls of his feet. Fred, with a sigh, stepped aside and bowed Hailey out. Kasei pushed her way past George and followed, Ron behind her.

Fred, at the door, smiled at the three of them. "Come back again and everything will be half off." He said. Hailey nodded, pretending they would and tried to pull Braiden along but he wriggled out of her grasp and ran down the street in the opposite direction, trying to catch up to Ron.

"Do you really know Harry Potter?" He asked, looking up at Ron through misty eyes. Ron stopped and looked down at him for a moment with out a word then looked up at Kasei and Hailey who were pushing their way through the crowd after their brother.

"Yes." He said finally, looking down at Braiden again. "Why?"

"Because, my sisters have a crush on him." Kasei smacked him over the back of the head.

"We do not, shut up." She said, viciously. "I'm sorry, he's an idiot."

"So are my brothers, don't worry about it." Ron answered, staring at Kasei. "Where are you from?"

"The U.S." Kasie replied while Hailey grabbed their brother roughly by the upper arm. "We'll be going to Hogwarts this year."

"Cool." Ron said, and his smile, unlike Draco Malfoy's was sincere. "See you there, hope you're both in Gryffindor." And he walked away; looking back at them occasionally until the crowd swallowed him. Kasei turned back to Hailey who was still watching the place Ron had disappeared.

"Lets go get our stuff and find dad." She checked her watch. "Oh my good gosh, we've wasted three quarters of an hour already!" She stared up at them. "Let's go."

They got all their shopping done and met back at Flourish and Blots bookstore ten minutes after they were supposed to be there. Her father was waiting there, alone. Kingsley, it transpired, had been called to an urgent run at the Ministry and had left them to fend for themselves.

Once they had gotten there books, the girls window shopped for a while, waiting for Braiden to get his and Kasei was startled to see Draco Malfoy standing on the balcony above the main floor, watching her. In a whisper, she told her sister what had happened. "Don't look." She hissed. Hailey did anyway and whistled.

"Hot." She whispered. Draco Malfoy watched her for a moment and then turned away, walking into a second branch of the shop.

"And mysterious." Kasei said. Their father came back at that moment and they left, walking up the cobbled street towards the Leaky Cauldron. Through the brick archway, into the bar…Hailey let it all wash over her. She was exhausted and really wanted to go home. Kasei nudged her in the ribs as they were walking through the dim bar area and she followed her gaze to Ron.

He was sitting in the corner at a table half in darkness. He seemed to be speaking to nothing but the black wall behind him. Letting her stuff spill out of one of her bags, Hailey was given a chance to spy a little longer.

"I'll be a minute." She said. Her dad shrugged but Kasei stayed behind to help her as Braiden and their father left.

"So…" Kasei whispered, smiling at Hailey. "Do you like the little fireball?" Hailey glared at her.

"Have you noticed he's talking to someone?" She asked. Kasei looked over. "He's sitting just out of our range of vision, wearing a black cloak."

"You should be a seeker." Kasei whispered back. Looking over at the table. "I don't see anyone."

"If you look hard enough, you can see the outline of a person, sitting far back…almost at the wall." Kasei squinted hard. Then she saw it, so subtle you'd have to be staring like they were to notice. There was a person there.

Suddenly, Ron looked back and Kasei and Hailey tore their eyes away, faces burning. "He noticed." Kasei gasped. Hailey rolled her eyes.

"You think? No, it was that person." They gathered up the rest of Hailey's books and quills and left, feeling the eyes of the people in the corner on them as they went.

(&)&)(&)

MorganS: Huh, I wonder who was in the corner **Sarastic**

Ashlyns: Yeah, you're so intelligent! Anyway, they might not.

MorganS: Yeah right. Please review.


	3. What Lies Within

Chapter Three: What Lies Within

Kasei and Hailey stood at what their father had dubbed as the entrance to platform nine and three quarters, which was ironically a wall.

"You're kidding me." Kasei said, turning to look at her father, who like them was slightly puzzled, but he let his expression diminish and looked at her seriously.

"These were the directions I was given from the ministry." He said, looking back up to the wall in front of them. "This is the way to the Hogwarts express…" he pointed to the wall very skeptical himself. "Through that invisible barrier." Hailey shook her head.

"Why couldn't they just have one like the one back home, visible to those with magical abilities, such as wizards and witches, but invisible to Muggles." Braiden gave her a devious smile.

"It's more interesting this way, I get to watch as my sisters run themselves into a wall." He teased.

"Braiden, that's enough." His father scolded him and then turned back to the twins who stood side-by side, their attention back on the wall. "You want me to go first?" he offered, but Kasei shook her head wit a smile.

"I'll go, it can't be that bad, I mean, it's just a wall." Kasei looked back to the wall a bit apprehensive and then sighed. "If it woks you're right behind me right?" she asked, turning to Hailey and looking at her expectantly.

"And if it doesn't I'll be there at the hospital beside your bed, making sure there's no more brain damage than usual." She grinned evilly, and Kasei threw an irritated look her way as Hailey's simple wit was thrown out.

"Thanks." Kasei retorted very much sarcastically. Kasei shook her head and closed her eyes, pushing the trolley quickly towards the wall, holding in her breath. Hailey watched as Kasei hit the wall, but instead of falling flat on her butt, Kasei disappeared through it like it was nothing.

"Woah." She and Braiden both muttered under their breath and her father nodded, impressed with Kasei's simple bravery.

"Hailey, go on." He prompted, remembering the unsaid promise Hailey had previously given to her sister.

On the other side of the Barrier Kasei stopped abruptly, just after she should have hit the wall head on, nothing but a big platform crowded with people and a grand train lay before her. Kasei glanced back to see the wall behind her, and seemed impressed herself as she flattened out her robes and then moved forward.

Hailey came bursting through the wall like it was thin air, her eyes closed as Kasei's had once been. She opened them and stopped looking at her sister quite amazed. Kasei grinned and then looked back towards the train, seeing many children and teenagers standing along the side of the train, most saying goodbye to their families.

"Well, you three best be getting on the train before it leaves without you." Kasie heard her father's voice and turned to find him and braiden standing near them. Kasei let go of her trolly and moved to hug her father.

"Miss you." she said, and let go, looking to Hailey as she also stepped forward to hug her father.

"See you at Christmas." He added, as Hailey pulled out of his embrace. Braiden looked up at his father, who was looking at him expectantly.

"G'bye dad." Braiden said, without even thinking of the hug. His father frowned with a slight smile.

"What? No hug?" their father asked as both Kasei and Hailey decided to ignore Braiden's ignorance, making their way towards the train where they saw other's gathering to board the train. Hailey, who had gone first, glanced back at her sister.

"There are a lot of people who attend Hogwarts." Hailey announced to her sister, just in time to feel a jolt as she ran into another still trolley, knocking things off of it and her own. Hailey jumped to the ground to pick the things up.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't watching." She said in her attempts to apologize as she picked up a cage containing the person's owl.

"Hailey!" Kasei said, making her look up, only to see her sister's face covered in hilarity.

"What?" she questioned in time to see Kasei point toward the figure who now stooped beside Hailey. Hailey looked over and gasped as she again saw the boy from the picture in the magazine and standing with Ron and another. Kasei began to help pick up Hailey's things.

"I am so sorry, I really didn't mean to knock your things-" He cut her off.

"They're Ron's things." He informed her in a monotonic voice, he looked back down to pick up one of Ron's bags and stood just as Ron did behind him, an armful of his own things.

"Oh." Hailey muttered as she set the bird's cage atop the things the two boys replaced upon the trolley. Hailey looked to Ron apologetically. "Still, I'm really sorry." Ron sort of shook his head and scratched the back of his neck with a complicated grin.

"No worries." He added almost silent enough that she couldn't hear. Braiden caught up with them at that moment and spotted Harry. His eyes widened and he looked at Harry a bit star struck, Hailey to bestowed the same look, yet slightly less in awe. Kasei grinned at the boys and turned to her sister.

"While you attempt to get Braiden onto the train…" she trailed off, almost giggling as Hailey's face turned from pink to Red. "I'm going to try and find us a compartment." Hailey grabbed Kasei's arm, stopping her before she even got the chance to move. Kasei frowned.

"Ok." Hailey said after a few seconds of silence and released Kasei, who grinned, yet empathetically. Kasei turned her attention to Harry and Ron.

"Nice to run into you again…" she trailed off with a giggle. "Literally." She put in as she made her way towards the train. Harry looked to Ron quite confusedly as Ron again scratched behind his neck.

"I met them in Diagon Alley." Ron explained, yet seeming not quite detailed enough for Harry as his eyebrows lifted. Ron shrugged and that was enough for Harry, who turned to Hailey, offering his hand.

"I'm Harry-" Hailey almost cut Harry off to explain that she already knew that, but mentally stopped herself in fear of sounding stupid, everyone knew that.

"Potter." Braiden finished for Harry, relieving Hailey of her stress, yet she covered his mouth with one hand and took Harry's with the other.

"Hailey James, and this is Braiden…" she looked down and released her hand from Harry's reluctantly to help her other hand to keep the struggling little boy quiet. "That was my sister Kasei." She said, then looking after her sister, who just disappeared through the train doors. She looked back to Harry and his expression was still blank, like his emotions had been used up ages ago. He nodded and four more figures appeared behind the two boys. Hailey let go of Braiden as his struggling ceased.

"Ron, Harry, you two best be getting on the train quickly-" The woman was cut off as Fred stepped forward, or what Hailey presumed was Fred by the letter upon his breast.

"We meet again Miss James." Fred said with a grin as he took Hailey's hand in his and lifted it to his lips, kissing it softly, he raised his head from it and smiled at her. Hailey carefully slipped her hand from his grip, trying not to be rude.

"Fred!" The woman scolded him, confirming what Hailey had assumed. She smiled warmly at Hailey and her little brother.

"You must be one of the young ladies Fred and George have told us so much about." Hailey sort of blushed, looking down towards the ground a little embarrassedly. "Oh...it's noting to be worried about, they've spoke of you quite highly, and you are as beautiful as they said you were." Hailey's eyebrows shot up and she glanced towards Fred and George, who had little grins plastered on their faces.

"That's Hailey." George informed his mother, then scanning their small crowd for a sign of Hailey's look-a-like. "Where's Kasei?" he finished asking with his brow furrowed, his twin brother sporting the same look.

"On the train." Hailey said slowly in a small voice, finding it hard to speak at all as she found her eyes upon Harry once more, his own fixated upon her with a look that seemed to be questioning. "Where Braiden and I should be as well." She informed them, looking up to the woman once more, not even having noticed the small redheaded girl standing behind the group. "It was nice to meet you." Hailey said in her politest way possible, grasping a firm hold upon the handle of her trolley.

"And the two of you as well, I hope to meet your sister someday." Hailey smiled politely and made her way away, Braiden following reluctantly behind.

Hailey scanned the compartments for the one containing her sister, which happened to be second from the end. Hailey pulled the compartment door open and rolled her eyes at her sister, who seemed to be settled in comfortably. Kasei smiled.

"Must've been quite the conversation between you and the flaming redhead if you'd stayed this long, you're usually quiet." Hailey shoved a small bag hard into Kasei, who jumped, lifting her feet a few inches off of the floor.

"That was uncalled for." Kasei laughed as she stood and shoved the bag into the small space she had already placed her things, assuming it was the proper place in the first place.

"Yeah, well, the twins showed up…And their mother. They seemed quite disappointed when you weren't there." Hailey shoved her things into the same space and then roughly sat down beside her sister. Kasei grinned.

"Oh?" she questioned quite amused herself at Hailey's comment. "Must be my good looks." Kasie said, getting a quick smile out of Hailey. Kasei stood and marched to the door as Braiden finished putting his own things away.

"What a Woman." Braiden muttered to himself and Kasei looked at him confusedly.

"You mean their mum." Hailey's jaw dropped and her eyes widened.

"Ewe." Was all she could mutter; though there could be no other explanation, the only woman there had been the twin's mother. Braiden looked at the two of them very grossed out.

"NO!" he spat, defending himself against any misconceptions. "The girl with red hair, slightly taller than me." Braiden was tall for his age. Hailey and Kasei exchanged glances, frowning and Hailey turned back to her brother as he took a seat across from her.

"I didn't see any girl; the only woman I saw in that group was their mother." Braiden shook his head and crossed his arms across his chest.

"That's because those two goons were standing in front of her, sheesh." He shook his head again and then leaned over, reaching into the bag at the top of the pile in the compartment storage and pulling out a copy of the Daily Prophet.

"I'll be right back." Kasei announced and left Hailey to her silent protests, wondering where she was off to. She frowned and turned back to Braiden.

"Where did you get that?" She snapped at him, thinking maybe he'd stolen it from somewhere. He lowered the paper from his face and glared at her through a squint.

"Do you always have to stick your big nose into my business?" he retaliated, snapping to mock her tone. Hailey glared at him and abruptly stood.

"Where did you get that?" she snapped again, holding out a threatening fist before his now pale face, he had no doubt that Hailey would hit him if need be. He sunk back into his seat.

"Dad's been getting it lately, I took it off of the table this morning." He squeaked, hoping to death that she would accept his answer. She took a deep breath and stood, looking down at his shrunken form. A knock came at the door of the compartment and she looked over to see Ron standing just behind.

Kasei made her way down the row of compartments, searching for the one Draco had disappeared into, she had no idea why, but for some reason she wanted to see him again. Kasei had spent the last two weeks, wondering why he had disappeared like that on her in Diagon Alley, and then again in Flourish and Blotts.

She'd seen him enter one as she came onto the train, though followed closely by a couple of unfriendly looking, rather large boys and a girl whom Kasei wouldn't want to run into in a dark alley. Her face looked like the pug dog that lived in the next house when they lived in L.A.

Kasei had barely taken a step toward the next compartment when he happened to step out f the one two down from the last. Kasei stopped in her tracks as he spotted her. A suspicious smile spread across his face and he made his way over to her.

"Looking for something?" he asked wryly and she raised a brow, not afraid to tell him the truth.

"Actually, I was looking for you." his left brow suddenly shot up, but his smile ever ceased, his eyes remained as cold as the day she'd met him and it sent a shiver down her back. Kasei reached up and began to rub her arm, feeling goose bumps upon it as he stared beck.

"Oh?" he questioned in a drawl, quite calmly. "And why would that be?" she grasped her own wrist and stopped as her goose bumps faded into her skin.

"Because, you shot questions at me like cannon fire and then left me with but only a name, nothing else, I don't really think that's fair now is it?" he seemed surprised by her forwardness, let alone her words, and intrigued at the same time. Her own smile seemed to warm him up to the idea of answering any questions she might have, but he didn't speak right away, just sort of studied her for a minute.

"No, I guess not." He said in a bit of a husky voice as his eyes returned to hers, making her feel like she was in the hot seat. "You didn't tell me you had a sister who looked exactly like you either." As it sunk in she frowned, but her quick wits were all she needed.

"You didn't ask." She shot at him, with a smirk that one would call teasing. She glanced down at her arm, just to be sure the goose bumps were gone, yet giving her a reason to warm her eyes and stop his from penetrating into her soul as they seemed to be doing. "But you didn't really give me time either." She added in, looking back up, and spotting his badge as she did.

"I had things that needed to be done." She couldn't help but notice how he avoided an apology, though it dawned on her that his cauldrons had been knocked out of his hands. She smiled awkwardly as she remembered.

"Like buying a new cauldron for instance." She said slowly, hoping it wouldn't make him mad again, though he hadn't been mad for long the first time. He laughed roughly, like he didn't laugh often, but she couldn't help but notice a flicker of something in his eyes, she began to search them, but any trace of it was gone.

"How's your head." He asked, seeming cautious as he raised a brow, looking intently interested as he leaned to the side, trying to get a glimpse of where she'd once been bleeding. She absent-mindedly reached a hand up to the back of her head, feeling his gaze more intent upon her as she did.

Kasei remembered how, when her father caught sight of it, though not until Kasei had gotten into the car and he'd spotted the blood on her neck in his rear-view mirror, he became quite worried. Kasei had explained the accident and said that it didn't hurt, though the ringing in her ears had lasted the next couple of days. A small embarrassed smile spread across her lips, changing from the one she previously wore.

"Umm…better, much better." She could feel her face turning red and his hand found her chin as he tried to examine it, though it wasn't there anymore, luckily for Kasei, her father had run into worse scrapes and cuts than that…Braiden for instance, wasn't the least of his worries still. She felt awkward, but his touch was like the absolute opposite of his eyes, it was warm and she noticed it instantly, then frowning before he pulled away and looked at her again, nodding.

"So you're going to Hogwarts?" he questioned, seeming a little quizzical, but his eyes showed different still.

"Yes, my sister, my brother and I." She answered very calmly. The corners of his mouth lifted in a half smile. "Why did you just leave like that the other day?" Kasei felt she deserved some sort of explanation. He lifted his head a bit higher.

"As I said, I had many things to do." She finally lowered her hand back to her side.

"You must be pretty important then…" she trailed off and tapped his badge. "Prefect, I take it?" she half questioned, having had the same in L.A. except the badge was different than his.

"Smart girl." he admitted a bit sarcastically, laying a blow to Kasei's ego, thinking he thought her a stupid little girl in the first place, her small grin faded and she glance back down the row of compartments the way she'd came.

"I…I should go." She hesitated; feeling compelled to stay, but not wanting Hailey to worry her pretty little face off. He looked at her inquiringly, and she thought he was going to ask why, but he nodded.

"Get back to your sister and brother." She nodded back and seemed a bit hurt with the simplicity, half wanting him to asked her to stay. Kasei couldn't believe her own thoughts, why would she want to stay, when everything about him told her he was cold and to much out of her social group in the first place.

He grasped her hand softly and leaned over, kissing the back of it softly, making her believe different about him seconds after thinking what she did. She couldn't help but smile, and her heart fluttered inwardly as he stood back up and looked to her.

"It's likely we'll meet again." He said as more of a way to assure her, but she knew that he was right in the first place.

"Yeah." She said, more to herself than him, but he'd heard her words easily. "Goodbye." She turned before she found herself in his eyes again. They were so cold, yet there was something there that Kasei had seen for but a second that she desperately hoped she could find out what it was. She found herself at her own compartment before she could even guess what it was, opening the door she looked in to find that most of the seats were now easily occupied by familiar faces.

Kasei looked to Hailey, who sat in the corner by the window, staring out at what went by like she hadn't heard Kasei come in. Kasei felt all eyes upon her, and then turned, scanning the faces as she couldn't help but grin. Hailey finally looked to her sister and Kasei's grin was more than Hailey would've expected.

"Well, well, where'd you find this bunch?" Kasei teased her sister, not having expected to come back to a full compartment. Hailey rolled her eyes, something Kasei found Hailey did often.

"Needed a place to sit, an empty compartment, and ours was…well, empty enough." Kasei closed the door and took a seat next to her sister. Kasei's eyes wandered across the group. Harry, whom Kasei knew from her magazines, was sitting on the end of the other side, right across from Hailey, he seemed very much like Hailey in many ways and Kasei wasn't surprised, knowing the stories that flooded her mags and papers across the world.

Ron sat next to him, eyeing her back awkwardly and as her eyes found his he looked away easily. Next to Ron was another girl, her brown hair had waves in it and she was very pretty, she had a book in her hand and didn't seem to notice Kasei.

Next to Kasei was the redheaded girl she figured Braiden had been talking about. She smiled again, glancing at Braiden, who was ironically sitting next to the girl, eyeing her with a silly grin, and then turned to her sister.

"You pick on Braiden already?" she whispered under her breath and Hailey turned to her with a slight grin.

"Nope, thought I'd leave that one until you got back." Kasei turned to her brother very seriously. Hailey leaned forward, looking at Braiden and then to the girl next to him.

"What did you say your name was?" she questioned Ginny, Ginny looked up surprised, clutching a copy of The Quibbler in her hands.

"Ginny Weasley." She replied and Hailey looked to her sister implying it was her turn for a go.

"Braiden, you should stop staring at the poor girl, I'm sure she _does _mind your drooling." Kasei persisted to hold in her laughter as his jaw dropped instantly. Ginny looked surprised at the two girls and then to Braiden.

Braiden opened his mouth to explain in any way he could, but just stuttered upon the vowel 'I' several times. He finally closed his mouth and looked from Ginny to the twins, livid. He glared at them and both tried to hold in their laughter. They exchanged glances and then Hailey turned her attention accidentally to Harry to find him looking back at her, a small grin pulling at his lips, but it couldn't seem to stretch any further than it was.

She looked away out of the window and heard Kasei let her giggles slip. Kasei looked to Ginny apologetically.

"I didn't mean anything to make you feel uncomfortable, it's just..."she let out another small laugh, glancing in Ron's direction. "I'd guess you know what it's like to have brothers." Ginny cracked a small smile, but then hid her own face behind the paper, lowering it for a second as she glanced at Ron.

"Yes." She whispered to Kasei from behind the paper and Kasei had to try to contain her laughter and stop herself from looking at Ron and laughing _At Him._ Kasei stopped laughing long enough to make a simple reply.

"I'm Kasei James." She said, then looking to the only other person in the compartment she didn't know. Hermione looked back at her, trying to hide her own faint grin. "And you?" Kasei inquired, finally stopping her insides from hurting.

"Hermione Granger." She replied, then lowering her book and sitting forward in her seat, extending her hand like it was a second nature to do so. Kasei took it without a thought, seeing that Hermione was one she could easily get along with. She let go and strained to read the title of Hermione's book.

"Charms of The Past: Historical Magic." Kasei read aloud, getting her sister's attention, along with Ginny, Ron and Harry's but Braiden, beet red, continued to hide his face, his thoughts racing with ways to get her back. "Any good?" she questioned, trying to make conversation, and getting Hermione's full attention at that.

"Why yes, it is." Hermione smiled and the two boys both looked at Kasei sympathetically, she caught their looks and realized she'd just gotten herself into a big mess.

"Have you read that one?" she asked Hailey, knowing Hailey probably did and hoping to divert the attention from herself to her sister, or at least to share it with her beloved twin.

"Yeah." Hailey answered, but Ginny felt she could alleviate Hermione's book lectures.

"Do either of you two play Quiddich?" Ginny asked and Hermione looked quite put-off, but sat back in her seat anyways. Kasei grinned, finally something to her own interest.

"Yeah, I do, but Hailey…" she glanced at her sister regretfully. "Well, she used to." Kasei frowned and looked back to the others, only to see Harry eyeing Hailey again.

"What happened?" Ginny questioned and Hailey bit her lip, making to answer before Kasei placed a hand over Hailey's mouth.

"Don't!" she said, snapping at her sister, then turning back to Ginny and letting go." She quit after our fourth year, when our mother died." Kasei just didn't want Hailey going into elicit details and telling everyone she blamed herself. Ginny frowned.

"Was your mum a Muggle?" she asked reluctant, because she could tell it was a touchy subject.

"Squib." Hailey corrected her, looking back out the window and not blaming Kasei for doing what she did. The girls and their brother were pure blooded, but being a squib their mother had adopted muggle tendencies and enjoyed muggle things, she even pushed the girls to make muggle friends. Hailey pushed farther at getting the subject changed and looked to Ron, squinting.

"What?" he asked slowly, cautious as to why she looked at him like that. Hailey looked to her sister; feeling like kasei could use some sort of embarrassment.

"Reminds you of Corey, doesn't he?" she questioned, a grin brewing. Kasei's eyes widened, but she wasn't embarrassed. She looked more closely at Ron and then grimaced, making him worried as his ears again turned a bright shade of red.

"Not really…the hair…" Kasei began to pick apart the things she saw mentally and Ron sort of shrunk into his seat. "And Corey was a muggle, he definitely isn't." Hailey smiled.

"Right." Kasei couldn't help but notice Harry's grin, this time an all out grin.

"Hey Hails…" she started, nodding towards Harry. "I guess we found out how to make that one smile… just pick on Ron." The red of Ron's ears floated across his cheeks, but all the same he smiled at Harry, shrugging as Harry looked back at him for support. Harry lowered his head and his gaze, his own cheeks turning a light shade of pink.

sSs

Well, we know it's been a long time since the we've updated and hopefully it won't be that long again. P.S. this one was written by MorganS. many many moons ago.

To Our Reviewers who have waited so long:

Serb-Maco: glad you loved the last chapter hope you liked this one

DarkAngelPearl: you liked the second chapter better than the first, maybe you'd have liked this one better than the second, not likely htough, there's not as much going on, just suspicious stuff.

DrunkenBuddie: now you know who was in the corner, maybe not... but you'll eventually know if you don't now


	4. Let The Sorting Begin!

Chapter four-Let the Sorting Begin!

The train's lights beamed down on them, the sky outside the windows was dark. Ron and Kasei were playing wizard chess while Hailey sat watching them, petting Hermionie's cat Crookshanks behind his ears and chatting with Hermionie.

"Actually, Hogwarts: A history is a biased representation of the school itself." Hermionie said, flipping through the pages of the book with a frown. "I like the book but it's not as accurate as it should be. For instance," She stopped flipping and showed Hailey the page under her fingers. "The Forbidden Forest is far more dangerous then it's even mentioned in here. It says there are centaurs, and a few other dangerous creatures but, in reality there are tons."

"Yeah," Ron piped up. He nudged his pawn into battle with Kasei's knight. "Like giant spiders, murderous werewolves, and thestrals."

"And Grawp." Harry suddenly added. There was a short pause; it was the first time he'd spoken in a few hours. Hermionie cleared her throat. "He's a giant."

"Yes, he knows me as Hermy." Hermionie joked. Hailey smiled slightly. There was a loud clashing sound and they all looked around to see Ron's pawn go down. The door suddenly opened and a black haired girl poked her head in. She was really pretty and Hailey watched her closely as she smiled shyly at them all.

"Hi." She said quietly, "Hermionie, Ron, Ginny…Harry." Hailey looked round at Harry who kept his face to the window. "Harry, can I talk to you?"

Harry finally looked at her and sighed. "Why?" He asked roughly. The girl's brow furrowed. "I have people here I can talk to…" Hailey felt sorry for her, tears were swimming in the girl's eyes. Humiliation of rejection in front of so many witnesses no doubt. "Go away Cho, I have nothing to say to you."

The girl, Cho, began to cry and closed the door. They could hear her running away down the train. Ginny looked at Harry, angry. "Nice." She snapped, "Cho was trying to tell you something and you blew her off. What the hell's wrong with you." Harry stood up.

"What the hell do you think?" He asked. Suddenly he was out the door and gone. Hailey watched the place where he had disappeared. The door slowly rolled closed and all was silent in the cabin. No one seemed to know what to say. Finally, Braiden broke the silence.

"So, Ginny." He said, "What's you're favorite quidditch team?"

"I'll be back, I've got to go to the bathroom." Hailey said. She closed the compartment door and began to make her way down the train, swaying with its motion. The bathroom door was closed and her teeth were almost swimming.

She knocked hard. "Open up, for heaven sakes, I gotta pee!" The door opened and Harry appeared. Hailey suddenly wished she could sink right through the floor. Had she said she'd needed to pee?

"Hey." Harry said quietly, looking over her shoulder. There were heads poking out of compartments left and right. "How bad do you need to go?"

"Why does it matter?" Hailey asked, bouncing now. She was going burst and she was already embarrassed. She was such a stupid idiot! "Let me through."

"I need a few more minutes." Harry said simply, shrugging. Hailey could have murdered him.

"Why, how much make up do you need? I need the bathroom for three minutes, that's it. Move!" Harry stepped aside and Hailey made to squeeze past when suddenly the train jerked and a door nearby opened. It was a second storage area for the train. The luggage inside spilled out, knocking Hailey head long into Harry. They both were knocked into the wall and Hailey, who had grabbed on to the nearest thing for support as her legs were pummeled by luggage, looked up slowly and saw Harry watching her with an interested expression on his face.

She finally got a good look at him. The close up picture from the magazine didn't do him justice. He was gorgeous, his messy black hair falling around his face, almost hiding his green eyes and his lightning bolt scar. She could suddenly see why he was a teen heartthrob. She pulled away from him, feeling his muscles beneath his shirt and noticing he winced slightly when she touched his arm.

"Are you okay?" She asked. Harry nodded.

"I'm fine." He said, there were dark circles under his eyes as though he hadn't had enough sleep and the haunted look still held his eyes. He tried to smile reassuringly to her and she noticed that, even though he wasn't trying, it was still a great smile.

"Are you guys alright?" They both looked around to see Hermionie followed by the others rushing over. Hailey nodded and took Ron's offered hand as he helped her over the luggage. "We heard the crashes and came to investigate."

"Yes, I'm fine…Harry too." Hailey said, staring at Harry's arm. Had she perhaps scratched him when she'd grabbed him? Ron offered Harry his hand but he shook his hand and hopped around bags and cases himself. Hailey looked longingly at the bathroom.

"I really have to go." Ron smiled down at her and waved his wand. The luggage sprang back into the room and the door closed. "Thanks." Hailey made her way to the bathroom as the others went back to the carriage. Inside, she did her business and went to wash her hands before she noticed something inside the sink. There were spots of blood around the rim of the basin. She suddenly realized what was wrong with Harry's arms and pulled her sleeves up past her elbows, running her fingers over the long thin scars on her arms.

Many of the scars there were from the accident but some of them were courtesy of a razor. She thought back to Harry and shivered. They had more than one thing in common now.

The station platform was chilly as a mist hung over them. Exiting the train was difficult with the milling people pushing past but the twins held on to each other and managed to keep up with the others. Harry was carrying an owl cage that held his snowy, Hedwig. Ron carried a hooting Pigwidgeon or something like that and Hermionie carried Crookshanks.

"Thestrals." Hailey gasped, staring at the black horses in awe. "Wow, real thestrals!" Ron smiled over at Hailey and began to laugh.

"Never seen a thestral?" He asked sarcastically. Hailey glared at him and then punched him playfully on the arm.

"Have you?" She asked. Ron's smile faded and he was suddenly serious.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think about what I was saying." Ron glanced over at Harry and then continued, "Who…"

"Our mom." Braiden piped up, staring at the carriage shafts. "Are they there? I can't see them!"

"Pray you don't see them any time soon." Hermionie said behind him. Braiden turned to look at her. A lantern was bobbing over the heads of the crowd. Its beam caught the seven of them and a voice said boomed out.

"Al righ' Harry, Ron…Hermionie, Ginny." A giant man stood behind the lantern, his face hidden by a mass of tangled black beard and framed by course hair. He had to be at least twice as tall as a normal man and three times as wide. Beetle black eyes twinkled at them from behind the wild mane. Hailey gasped and stepped back, walking on Harry's feet. "An' who are they?"

"This is Braiden, Hailey and Kasei." Ginny said, stepping forward. She turned to them; "This is Hagrid."

"Rubeus Hagrid, keeper of the keys and grounds at Hogwarts." He shook their hands, or, rather their whole arms. "An' I'm the care of magical creatures teacher." Braiden smiled.

"I'll be with you then." He said eagerly. Apparently, Hagrid's size made him even that more exciting to Braiden. "I can't wait, what are we studying?"

"Well, tha' there's a surprise it is." Hagrid answered, winking at him. He smiled at them, watching Harry for a moment and then continued, "I'll see you around then." And then he turned away, calling out "firs' years over 'ere." As he went.

"Come on, let's get a carriage." Ginny said. "They'll be all gone if we don't hurry." They pushed their way through the crowd and found two carriages. Hermionie, Kasei, Ron and Ginny climbed in the first, leaving Harry, Hailey and Braiden standing outside. Kasei looked around at the others in the carriage with her, embarrassed.

"I'll get out so Harry can come in this one." She said, getting up. Hermionie pushed her down.

"Don't be silly. Harry doesn't mind and besides, we'll be together when we get off. They'll be in the one right behind ours." Ron smiled and closed the door, leaning out the window.

"Good luck, mate." He said, pointing over Harry's shoulder. Harry turned and groaned making Hailey spin around to look to. A girl with long blond hair, protrubent eyes and a dreamy expression on her face was making her way through the crowd towards them.

"Hey Luna." Ron called from the carriage window, waving. The girl, Luna, looked up slightly surprised at being addressed.

"Oh, hello Ronald." She said, watching him closely. Hailey could have sworn the girl was on drugs the way she seemed to float around. "Good summer?"

"Not bad. You can go with Harry in the next carriage if you want." Luna turned her attention to Harry and stared at him for a few seconds, as though she were trying to get him into focus. Then, she drifted past him and disappeared into the interiors of the carriage, swallowed by the dark. Hailey followed her, looking over her shoulder to see Harry glaring at Ron.

The carriage smelled of moldy straw and Hailey felt like she was going to sneeze instantly. Luna, who was sitting across from her waited until the last person in, Braiden, closed the door before she turned her gaze from the window and stared at Hailey a long time before speaking.

"I don't know you." She said vaguely. Her large eyes shifted from Hailey to Braiden who recoiled into the seat as far as he would go. "Or you."

"I'm Hailey." Hailey answered, meeting the girl's eyes. She tried hard not to blink but the girl's intense stare was disconcerting. "My sister, Kasei is in the next carriage and this is my annoying brother, Braiden." Braiden waved weakly and watched Luna. Luna didn't move her eyes to Braiden but instead stare at Hailey the whole trip until Hermionie's voice echoed into their carriage.

"Hailey! Look out the window!" She screamed. Hailey did as she was told, pulling back the curtain on the window and staring out at the beautiful sight meeting her eyes. Hogwart's castle, a mass of turrets and towers, hundreds of feet high at least, situated by a large lake and framed by mountains on either side. She could see lit windows, spattered like freckles across the school's face and she realized with a nervous jolt that it was a lot bigger then her old school.

"Oh my god." Hailey said vaguely, sounding more like Luna then herself. Braiden, who was leaning on her, looking out to could only smile. It was too much. Her sister was in the carriage in front and had her head stuck out the window to. She looked back and smiled.

"Whoa, eh? A person could get lost in there." Hailey's stomach jolted. Yes, a person could get lost in there…and she probably would. Harry seemed to be thinking a long the same lined as her. When she stuck her head back in and leaned against the seat, he spoke.

"It'll take a few days to get adjusted. I still don't now everything about the castle." Hailey smiled, glad to hear him talk and let the carriage lull her as it slowly drove her to her new home for the rest of the year.

They arrived in the shadows of the castle some five minutes later and the carriages trundled to a halt, illuminating the people stepping out by the combination of their candle lanterns on either side, the moon and the lights in the castle.

Kasei was the last out, her mouth opened in awe at the sights before her. She let her eyes wander down the line of carriages stretching down the gravel road, to the small hut on the edge of the forest, it's dark windows catching the lights around it, trees swaying behind and the kids her age running up the steps and into the shelter of the castle.

Hailey and Braiden caught up with Harry and Luna and all of them made their way up the steps and into the brightly lit entrance hall. It was huge! A marble staircase graced the end of the hall, statues here and there…her house would have fit at least ten times inside here alone. They were being ushered by the crowd to go to the large hall in at the right.

Four long house tables laden with golden plates and goblets sat beneath a starry ceiling. Hailey and Kasei stared at it. They'd both read about it but seeing it…it was so much different, such a reminder of the magic all around them.

"It reflects the sky outside." Hermionie whispered into their ears, making them jump. "Of course, you know that already." Hailey nodded and Hermionie led them to the table on the far right. "You can sit with us until you find out you're houses. That'll probably be after dinner I expect." Hailey sat down beside Ginny and Kasei, looking at the plates. They were real gold, she was sure of it.

"This place is so cool!" Braiden said, leaning into the table to look down at the other students. He began playing with his robes; " I miss the green ones though."

"What ever, I think black is way cooler." Hailey said, playing with the neck of her own robes and looking up at the staff table. "Who are all they?"

Ron leaned over and began counting them off, "Treylawnie, Sinistra, Vector, Flitwick, Sprout, Pomfrey the matron, Dumbledore, Snape…wait, who's that?" Ron was pointing to the man beside Snape. Kasei, Hailey and Braiden gasped in unison.

"Dad?" Kasei whispered, open-mouthed. "What is he doing here?"

"Maybe this is his special assignment." Braiden said, staring to. Their dad was talking to Snape animatedly, the other's lip curling. It was almost as if Snape didn't like their dad even after only a few minutes.

"Should we go up and ask?" Hailey asked, looking at her brother and sister. They nodded and the three of them were just leaving their seats to head up to the staff table when the hall's doors opened and a severe looking woman walked in flanked by a long line of scared looking kids. They're nervous faces shifted from one side of the hall to the other and Kasei had a strong surge of sympathy towards them at that moment.

Kasei, Braiden and Hailey sat down instantly and watched as the woman led the kids up to the top of the hall and made them form a line, facing the school. "Who is she?" Hailey asked behind Kasei. Ron's voice answered.

"That professor McGonagall." He said quietly. "She's a good teacher but pretty strict. Never cross her." He laughed hollowly and Kasei felt herself smile. She would never have even dreamed of crossing this woman.

Suddenly, tiny professor Flitwick appeared in front of the staff table with a stool and a battered old wizard's hat just as the large man named Hagrid sidled in the hall and took his place at the end of the table. He winked and waved at them before turning his attention to the proceedings.

When Flitwick had again taken his place, the hall fell silent, everyone watching the hat. Kasei, curious, leaned over and whispered to Ginny, "What's going on?"

"The hat will sing soon." She said. The words were barely out of her mouth when a rip at the brim of the battered and ancient hat opened wide like a mouth and a voice began to sing.

"Ages and ages and ages past,

Before you all were born

Four wizards gathered to discuss

The school, which they would form.

There was mighty Gryffindor

Who sought only the brave,

And Slytherin who used cunning

In everything he gave

There was also good Hufflepuff

Who took the kind of heart

And finally Ravenclaw

Who took all those who are exceptionally smart

Now my job,

I regret to say

Is to take away, neigh to rob

You of a united day.

For I must split you one by one

Into you're perfect place

I'll do this until the days are gone…until this school is done

Until it's fall from grace.

Now, let the sorting begin!"

Kasei sat there, stunned. In their last school they hadn't had a talking hat. McGonagall took out a long roll of parchment while the school cheered the hat and waited until the last clap had died before she cleared her throat and spoke.

"When I call you're name, you come up to the front, place the hat on you're head, sit on the stool and be sorted into you're house." She looked over her square spectacles at the young kids before her. "Alberta Aarrastat." A small black haired girl came forward and sat shakily on the stool, the hat trembling on her head, slipping over her eyes and resting on her shoulders. Kasei, Braiden and Hailey sat forwards in their seats, straining to watch the small girl in the big hat shaking on the spindly stool.

The rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth and the hat yelled out, "Hufflepuff!" The girl pulled the hat off and ran towards the table at the other end of the hall, which exploded with cheers. Kasei swallowed and her eyes moved down the line of kids to a small boy at the end who looked perfectly calm and expressionless as though this was just a line at the mall at the check out counter. His eyes, though, kept moving to the table at the far end. Kasei followed his gaze and found Draco Malfoy.

"Aletha Ablass." Became a Gryffindor, "Blaine Akwana" Became a Slytherin and "Cory Anca" Became a Ravenclaw."

As the long line of A's dwindled down to B's and then C's, Kasei began trying to ignore the grumbling and rolling with hunger. How long had it been since she'd eaten?

"Janzen Malfoy." McGonagall called. The boy who Kasei had been watching came forward and she watched him, suddenly taking in his last name. Malfoy? He must have been related to Draco. Was he his brother?

"Janzen Malfoy?" Harry said quietly, leaning towards Hermionie, Ginny and Ron. Hailey, Braiden and Kasei leaned in to so they could listen to the conversation, feeling awkward. "Malofy doesn't have a brother, does he?"

"Not that I know of. When ever dad talks about that family, he's always made it sound as though Malfoy is alone…I never thought of him as a brother. Maybe it's his cousin." Ron whispered as the McGonagall placed the sorting hat on the blond boy's head.

"No, they look too much alike." Hermione whispered. They all looked up to hear the sorting hat's discussion.

"Slytherin!" The hat shouted. The table at the far back erupted in cheers, loud yells echoed off the starry ceiling and, even over the entire din, Kasei could still hear Ron's disgusted snort.

"Who the hell is he?" Ron growled, watching the little Malfoy sit down beside Draco amid thumps on the back by large Slytherins and people ringing his hand, "I really want to know what new spawn has joined their ranks."

"He may not be all that bad." Kasei said fairly as Carmen Megnass was called to the hat, "I mean, maybe he's just in Slytherin because of his family. Look at us for example," She gestured at her brother and sister. "We're related but Braiden acts like he came from another world." Braiden's face turned red.

"Yeah, well you _look_ like you came from another world." He retorted. Everyone around them snickered except Harry and Hailey who were watching the sorting with a lot more concentration then was necessary.

Slowly the line dwindled and the final person, "Alex Ziniskins" was made a Ravenclaw, and Dumbledore stood, his arms open wide.

"I will not bore you with a speech right now, not when you're minds are so clearly elsewhere so, please, eat up!" And the golden plates in front of them filled magically with food. Kasei, Braiden and Hailey stared, watching them with wonder. All around them students began pilling their plates and, going with the 'When in Rome' statement, they did to.

The fest was cheerful enough with talk about the summer. Occasionally, someone from another table would come over and ask Harry a question or show him a gold galleon. Hailey watched this process discreetly from behind her dark hair. It was almost like there was a secret society or something at Hogwarts…a secret between Harry and these other people.

"Hi, I'm Hanna Abbott and this is Ernie McMillan." A blond haired prefect said, introducing herself after a whispered conversation with Harry. "Welcome to Hogwarts."

"Thanks." Kasei said, extending her hand to shake theirs. She introduced them, much to the annoyance of Hailey who would have rather done it herself. This happened for a while before a woman…McGonagall appeared at Hailey's shoulder.

"Hailey, Kasei and Braiden Harwell?" She asked. They looked up and nodded, Braiden shaking. "Come with me…you to Miss Granger." Hermionie nodded and stood up as McGonagall swept them from the hall, curious students watching as they went. She led them up a marble staircase, through numerous halls and finally in front of two stone gargoyles.

"Fainting Fancies." She said. The stone gargoyles moved aside obediently with a few snide remarks. Beyond them was a spiraling stone staircase, moving steadily upwards like an escalator. They stepped on and a few moments later were on a landing with a heavy wooden door and griffin knocker. McGonagall pushed the heavy door open and entered, the four students trailing behind her.

The room was magnificent, filled with spindly-legged tables, whirring silver instruments, books, shelves and portraits of old headmasters and mistresses. There was even a baby phoenix perched behind the door, sitting in a pile of ashes.

The headmaster, Dumbledore, sat at his desk at the far end of the room, his white hair and beard catching the light of a near by candle. He smiled in welcome at them.

"I have not made the announcements to the school yet, Minerva." He said to McGonagall. "Please, would you be so kind as to do it for me?" McGonagall nodded and left, closing the door sharply behind her. "Now, I will sort you into you're houses and then, Miss Granger will take you to you're correct house prefect where you will get further instruction. Braiden, you will go first."

Braiden turned pale at being isolated by the headmaster in such a friendly fashion but nodded and followed the man to the corner of the room where there was a stool and an old hat. He sat on the stool shakily and allowed Dumbledore to place it on his head. They only had to wait a minute before the hat made its decision.

"Ravenclaw." The hat shouted. Braiden smiled and pulled the hat off his head, bounding off the stool to smirk at them.

"Told you I wouldn't be in Hufflepuff." He said. Dumbledore smiled and motioned Kasei over. She gulped and sat on the stool. Suddenly, her world was black as the hat slipped over her eyes. How many people had worn this hat before her? How many people great and small had been sorted like this?

"To many to count." The hat's voice said in her ear, making her jump. "Don't be alarmed, I sense bravery in you. To brave in fact to be scared of a hat." Kasei smiled. "Let me see…let me see…ah, yes…almost black and white with a little red. I see you're spot to clearly, almost as day does night. My dear, you have a bravery far outweighing any other so, I see you in…GRYFFENDORE!" It shouted the last for the room to hear and Braiden clapped.

"Yeah, you're not in my house!" He said. Kasei glared a him and moved aside as Hailey took her place on the stool.

"Ah, a challenge, I do like challenges." The hat whispered in her ear. "Not as jumpy as you're sister, nor as brave but still, I see bravery in you as well. I also see a darkness where you're sister is black and white you are more a gray." Hailey gulped. "It's harder to place you. You have a mind like you're brother so you'd be good in Ravenclaw…but then I see a soul like Hufflepuff. You're darkness though, it makes you an excellent candidate for the dreaded house Slytherin but…no, not dark enough, more of a front so you don't have to feel…GRYFFENDORE!" Hailey smiled, she'd be in Kasei's house. As the hat lifted off her head, she caught the headmaster's twinkling blue eyes and he smiled at her, she smiled back.

"Very good, Miss Granger, make sure you find the Ravenclaw prefects and then take Kasei and Hailey to their rooms, they'll be with you I believe." Hermionie smiled and nodded. As they made their way down again, Hailey thought of all the hat had said and suddenly wondered why she was in Gryffindor when she felt she should be somewhere else.

sSs

well, i hope that one goes over well, ashlyns Wrote this one, not me, i think it's good, i warn you there may be a lot of spelling mistakes even though i went trhough spellcheck with it (she's not the greatest speller, but a great writer)

to our reviewers:

DarkAngelPearl: i'm glad you liekd that one, maybe you'll like this one just as much, or better, we'll see. question. do you like spiders?

threesomewiththetwins: i like the name... ash is a better writer than i, but i go into more detail and spell better, so i guess it evens out when she's the one who wants to be a journalist and an author. thanks for the compliment from both of us and we hope to hear more from you

sincerely, afireinside


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